Are they crying out for space

[Tom Bick]

Two bottoms?

Well spotted Amati at least one person reads my posts

 

[Swarm]

That would be Amari.
Tom you really must do something about those palethorpe fingers

 

[Tom Bick]

Tell me about it swarm it's this #*#*#* phone and my fat fingers

 

[pargyle]

Tell me about it swarm it's this #*#*#* phone and my fat fingers

I have the same problem ... made worse by prerogative tits ... oops ... there it goes again !!

 

[MuswellMetro]

I work on the basis that this time of year that a 14x12 frame of emerging brood needs a super of comb (ie with capped brood a bee is about 3 times the surface area of the capping)

aloo often when we first open up in april with beginners, we get WOW!! what a lots of Beesfrom he beginner, wheras i am thinking OMG where have all the bees gone

 

[richardbees]

Beenovice - looks like your bees are rapidly running out of space. If it was my hive I would add a super of frames/foundation underneath the bb.

Maybe the wild comb on top is because the rim on your crownboard is too deep = it should be about 6mm?

richard

 

[yellowrage 53]

This is possibly true but there is no need to count frames of brood as a guide to adding a super. The super is not for brood it's for adult bees. If the adult bees have outgrown the brood box that's when you add a super, preferably a bit earlier. No need to make rules about brood frames. Just add it if they look full of bees. Simple.

i am with you on this

 

[oliver90owner]

I did that at the end of March 2012. Had to, as the OSR was coming on strongly, was already coming into bloom and I was to be away for over a week.

Was I disappointed on my return! I took most of them off at the next inspection and the bees did not collect more than subsistence for the following six weeks. Anyone else remember that far back? I didn't actually have to feed any of my bees (but a close call for some colonies) but many on here were feeding a lot during that period of cold, wet and miserable weather.

Hopefully it will not be as bad as then, but who knows? I'm not for stressing the bees any more than necessary. Perhaps that is why I am cautious, especially with novices. Snowy sleet (snail?) here Monday and not exactly warm yesterday either.

Maybe they do need a super but they seem more certainly in need of other remedial attention. I'm all for 'treating the disease, not just the symptoms'. Likely the keeper will not notice the difference anyhow and would relish the sugar syrup (fed last autumn?) ending up as honey crop.

 

[beenovice]

Likely the keeper will not notice the difference anyhow and would relish the sugar syrup (fed last autumn?) ending up as honey crop.

I don't think there is any need for that! I am new to bees - not stupid! I am merely asking for advice and guidance, not ridicule.

 

[beeno]

I don't think there is any need for that! I am new to bees - not stupid! I am merely asking for advice and guidance, not ridicule.

 

[Swarm]

Beenovice,
Chris B has given you some good advice, with 300 odd hives I'd say he knows his business.

 

[Roola]

I took finmans advice and removed a few frames of stores and decamped them and placed in warm water, nice fresh clean comb ready to go back in when e weather warms, in the meantime I took the opportunity to remove a crappy old black holy frame as well and replaced with foundation which they are currently drawing out. Still plenty of stores but they are on double brood following forced unite.

 

[Tom Bick]

Beenovice,
Chris B has given you some good advice, with 300 odd hives I'd say he knows his business.

 

[richardbees]

Tom/Swarm

I think Beenovice is only commenting on Ollie's patronising and supercilious post -
=
obviously a newcomer to this forum!

 

[beenovice]

Tom/Swarm

I think Beenovice is only commenting on Ollie's patronising and supercilious post -
=
obviously a newcomer to this forum!

There are lots of people on this forum who give out very sound advice and have the bees and keepers welfare at the heart of this advice. Others, for what ever reason, just like to jibe and patronise. Maybe it's because they think they are funny, and it will generate a laugh.
I was merely asking if placing a super on this colony might be a good idea. The weight of consensus is that shortage of space is a strong possibility.
For the majority of you on here, thank you for your advice. Please keep it up.
Ollie, RAB whoever you are- please don't bother next time because it's not big, funny or clever and I for one can certainly do with out it.

 

[Tom Bick]

Tom/Swarm

I think Beenovice is only commenting on Ollie's patronising and supercilious post -
=
obviously a newcomer to this forum!

Dont worry I was not meaning to be critical of the op and I would suspect swarm also. I was just agreeing that when someone like Chris b gives advice it is good to give it serious thought as his experience will be head and shoulders above most of us.

In time the op if they decide to stick around will realise it's not them but others also receive a similar welcome from one section of the forum. I often go back and read my first posts on this forum and good reading they are to. They constantly remind me that we have to start somewhere and also that I still know very little compared to some.

 

[oliver90owner]

Perhaps the chummy rubbish brigade ought to clam up and think for themselves just for one moment in their lives.

Think: what have the inexperienced got to compare this colony with? A slowed build-up-will not be noticed-by many as they don't even have another colony with which to compare. Not too diffiult to work that one out, shirley?

There are lots out there that still dump a 5 frame nuc into a full hive with 6 or 7 frames of foundation,early in the season. There are lots out there that scream feed, feed, feed rather than think more bees, more bees, more bees for nucleus build-up. I know which side some of you sit on that topic discussion.

Think about the earlier responses - even read them properly - I gave my advice based on no solid information IMO. Chris gave his in good faith that there was a box bursting with bees. I don't think we know, even now, how much brood and how much stores there actually are in that hive. All good information needed for making decisions with a colony, I think?

My advice may even have been to add a super (yes, read the thread) if I had known all the relevant information. But I don't, and neither do you.

And, yes, many, (not just beginners) relish a big crop, whatever it may contain.-

If the OP thinks I am referencing them only, they are mistaken; they are just one of the many beginners on the forum, some of whom might like to learn to think through scenarios before jumping in blindly - like the recent thread where the beek thought they had killed the queen and immediately dissected the whole brood box looking for her - and thus getting it about 100%-wrong. I do not recall the complaining clique shouting on that thread or even making any useful input either, other than posting an 'I agree ' with no other help whatsoever.

Perhaps the OP should post in the beginners section where the chummy rubbish clique hang out so they can mingle their posts with the helpful repies. In that section without any fear of them being disagreed with.

If you don't like the truth, don't read my posts.

Bye.

 

[mbc]

Perhaps the chummy rubbish brigade ought to clam up and think for themselves just for one moment in their lives.

Think: what have the inexperienced got to compare this colony with? A slowed build-up-will not be noticed-by many as they don't even have another colony with which to compare. Not too diffiult to work that one out, shirley?

There are lots out there that still dump a 5 frame nuc into a full hive with 6 or 7 frames of foundation,early in the season. There are lots out there that scream feed, feed, feed rather than think more bees, more bees, more bees for nucleus build-up. I know which side some of you sit on that topic discussion.

Think about the earlier responses - even read them properly - I gave my advice based on no solid information IMO. Chris gave his in good faith that there was a box bursting with bees. I don't think we know, even now, how much brood and how much stores there actually are in that hive. All good information needed for making decisions with a colony, I think?

My advice may even have been to add a super (yes, read the thread) if I had known all the relevant information. But I don't, and neither do you.

And, yes, many, (not just beginners) relish a big crop, whatever it may contain.-

If the OP thinks I am referencing them only, they are mistaken; they are just one of the many beginners on the forum, some of whom might like to learn to think through scenarios before jumping in blindly - like the recent thread where the beek thought they had killed the queen and immediately dissected the whole brood box looking for her - and thus getting it about 100%-wrong. I do not recall the complaining clique shouting on that thread or even making any useful input either, other than posting an 'I agree ' with no other help whatsoever.

Perhaps the OP should post in the beginners section where the chummy rubbish clique hang out so they can mingle their posts with the helpful repies. In that section without any fear of them being disagreed with.

If you don't like the truth, don't read my posts.

Bye.

Careful now Rab, you could be diverging from the fluffy forum concensus

 

[beenovice]

You can give advice without being a patronising tosser. Everyone else on here seems to manage it. In my humble inexperienced opinion of course!

 

[idg]

You can give advice without being a patronising tosser. Everyone else on here seems to manage it. In my humble inexperienced opinion of course!

Well said beenovice! There is lots of good advice for you in this thread. Take the opportunity of good weather forecast for Sunday /Monday. Assess the colony whilst moving to your new brood box. kill two birds with one stone. That way you will have a clear indication of stores, brood, space, swarm developments etc. Remove stores, add foundation, add super based on that inspection.

Don't take the patronising to heart. some people can't help themselves. As far as I can see you are asking the right questions. Its up to you to filter the answers.

Good Luck